The Highlands Ngorongoro

The service was truly beyond anything I could have imagined. While the drive to the lodge is a bit long, it was a beautiful journey that allowed us to see more of Africa along the way. The lodge itself is stunning, with rooms that are both stylish and very comfortable. The food was excellent, and the service was exceptional throughout our stay.

We saw & learned so much. The guides were fantastic. They were so knowledgeable about the animals, birds, and even the foliage. The staff at all of the lodges couldn’t have been better. At The Highlands, our waiter would meet us when we came back from safari with glasses of great wine. We were pleasantly surprised by the food. It was like eating at a high-end restaurant every meal. It’s amazing to me that they can prepare the quality of food that they do in the bush. Even breakfasts & lunches in the bush were the best quality.

We were surprised at how cold it was. It wasn’t just chilly, but downright cold. They did have fires in the rooms, but I had to keep getting up in the middle of the night to add logs or the fire would go out. They would’ve come at any hour to do that but I didn’t want to call them at 2 a.m. We definitely did not pack enough warm clothing for that leg of the journey, but they did give us blankets & bush babies for the Land Rovers.

Such a wonderful lodge. The staff were so welcoming and helpful. The tents are well appointed and luxurious. It can be cold but the tents have wood burners, sheep skins under the mattress and hot water bottles in the bed. Food and the hospitality was exceptional.

Overall the Highlands was really nice. the unique architecture, really good food and staff made it a good few days. We would not go back to the Crater but are really glad it was in our itinerary. The hot lunch served in the Crater was really great too. Much nicer that being with all the cars at the bathrooms!

We had a great time and loved both Safari camps. The Highlands was amazing, beautifully done, lots of contact and engagement with the Maasai community in the area, a wonderful day on the floor of the Ngorongoro crater, and the hikes beyond the Ngorongoro crater were amazing. We highly recommend this lodge, especially for folks that want more than just a safari experience and are interested in traditional African cultures. We did not realize (my fault) that the altitude was so high, it was darn cold in the mornings, but we survived.. It was a nice break from the heat.

The Highlands has set a whole new standard at the Ngorongoro crater with its majestic views and exclusive location. Immerse yourself in local Masai culture with village visits, get active on nature walks to Olmoti or explore Empakaai crater. With only seven tents you get to enjoy a very personalised experience in a unique setting.